Apart
by spockandawe
Summary: A relationship between the head of Future Industries and the Avatar is going to have certain stresses. When the time they get to spend together is already limited, it's hard to lose any more.


So I just really wish the show would take a chance and explore a relationship between two of the most important ladies in Republic City. Le sigh. I still have stories to move from Tumblr, but since this was a request I got on here, I'm just slipping it in real quick.

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I knew that certain things were asked of Korra as the Avatar. But the only part that bothered me was having to share her. It was too bad really. I loved what I did as the head of Future Industries, and I knew that she loved being the Avatar. The trouble was that those were both difficult, time-consuming jobs. We might have wanted nothing more than to lie in bed together all day, but it was almost never an option. I had to go invent the future and she had to go save the world. Too often we were forced to part at dawn and didn't see each other again until the sun had set.

The worst was when we could _almost_ spend time together, when we were in the same place, the same room, within sight of each other... and we didn't even get to talk. Too many society parties were like that. Everyone wanted to talk to the Avatar, of course. And I never stopped representing Future Industries, so there were people who sought me out and people I needed to seek out myself. It was too rare that my group overlapped with hers. Everyone had their own agenda to single-mindedly pursue, so even if we started the evening at each other's side it was usually only minutes before we were divided.

It was a strange kind of pain. Half of me was loving the give and take of business negotiations disguised as commonplace pleasantries, but the other half of me was dying of impatience at the charade and longing to abandon the conversation to make my way across the room to Korra. The worst was when I could see her, but I was tied to the spot by some dull politician droning about city regulations without leaving the smallest space for me to speak. I saw a hand momentarily rest on her shoulder, I saw her laugh at some joke I couldn't hear. I should be over there with her. The driest, most uninteresting conversation would have been infinitely better with the addition of her hand resting at the small of my back. We could have made little unspoken comments on this person or that with the smallest sideways glance. I could have been the one getting to make her laugh with a quick aside or expressive look.

It killed me that when we lost so much of our days to our work I was forced to lose her to other people during the night. I scorned the man leading her away to discuss some petty dispute with his Fire Nation suppliers. He couldn't appreciate what she was worth if he was wasting her time that way. Sometimes the frustration built to an unbearable pitch. I wanted to grab Korra and leave right then, but no, I needed to stay for at least two more hours or I'd offend the pampered society matron who was hosting, and I needed her money to keep funding development of the new Satomobile motors. I knew I looked calm, but Korra could still read my face as she was pulled away to another inane conversation. I tried to smile, but her eyes apologized as she was led off.

The very minute decorum would allow it, I broke off my conversation and walked over to her group and made some excuse to draw her away. I could feel the stares on us as we walked across the room, but I didn't care. The wait as the valet fetches my Satomobile dragged for too long, and as soon as the doors had been shut behind us my hand was groping for Korra's even as hers was searching for mine. She squeezed it reassuringly for a moment before she had to drop it so I could drive. Without windows or a roof, this was all we could do for now.

I drove too fast on the way home. There had been enough time wasted already tonight. When we were inside she heaved a sigh and collapsed inelegantly onto the largest couch. She turned onto her back and grinned as she held her arms out to me. As bad as my mood had been, I had to smile as I joined her. She rested her chin on top of my head as I buried my face in her shoulder, and we stayed that way for a few long minutes.

Finally, she murmured, "You okay?"

I sighed. "Yes. I just wish I didn't have to be so... professional at these things. We don't get _that_ much time together and I don't like sharing you."

"I know I'm not professional, and that seems to work for me," she laughed.

That was true. Korra had managed to offend some very important people before society gave in and realized they'd have to adapt themselves to _her_. "I just hate losing time with you," I whispered.

She knew I meant it. Her arms were already around me, but they pulled me even closer. I lifted my head from her shoulder to kiss her, and her lips were so sweet that I could have just melted away. "You have me now," Her voice dropped lower as she said, "And what are you going to do with me?"

It was a race up to the bedroom, but I wouldn't say there were any losers.


End file.
